Background/Target Information

GSTO1 (glutathione S-transferase omega 1), also known as p28 or GSTTLp28, is a 241 amino acid protein that localizes to the cytoplasm and contains both an N-terminal and a C-terminal GST domain. Expressed ubiquitously with highest expression in heart, liver and skeletal muscle, GSTO1 exists as a homodimer that functions as both a glutathione-dependent thiol transferase and a dehydroascorbate reductase. Specifically, GSTO1 catalyzes the reaction of glutathione with a wide variety of organic compounds to form thioethers, a process that is essential for the metabolism and detoxification of a variety of xenobiotics and carcinogens. Human GSTO1 shares 70% sequence homology with its rodent counterpart, suggesting a conserved role between species. Polymorphisms in the gene encoding GSTO1 may be associated with the development of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer disease.